Amid heightened inflation concerns, oil reached $100.10 a barrel yesterday due to a variety of causes. According to an analyst at Goldman Sachs, “Economic growth concerns have been trumped by long-term structural supply issues.”

Adam Sieminski, chief energy economist at Deutsche Bank, believes the main driver is "the huge volumes of money moving into oil and other commodities." Analysts at Barclays Capital say instability in Africa’s largest oil producer, Nigeria, also pushed prices higher.

Bloomberg – Oil Falls From $100 Record on Speculation U.S. Stockpiles Grew
Wall Street Journal – Weakening Demand? Oil Still Passes $100
Global Insight – Oil Prices Spike Back to Record Levels
European Central Bank – Assessing the Factors Behind Oil Price Changes
Cambridge Energy Research Associates – $100 Oil: Moving Deeper Into Uncharted Territory